The Nation Newspaper

Tag: takes over

  • Illegal refineries: Navy takes over Bayelsa community

    Illegal refineries: Navy takes over Bayelsa community

    •Seizes N10.2bn worth of stolen products

    A community where six illegal refinery camps were found in Bilabiri, Ekeremor Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, has been taken over by troops of the Central Naval Command (CNC) of the Nigerian Navy, with headquarters in Yenagoa, the state capital.

    The six huge camps were linked to one another, creating a beehive of illegal deals on petroleum products.

    The troops also seized over N10.2bn worth of stolen products consisting of two million liters of illegally-refined Automated Gas Oil (AGO) and over one million barrels of stolen substances suspected to be crude oil.

    Six large Cotonou boats used by the suspected thieves to transport the products were also impounded by the troops.

    The Flag Officer Commanding, CNC, Rear Admiral Apochi Suleiman, said the command achieved the feat through a tip-off.

    He said the oil thieves operated on a landmass of over 100 hectares and created a black market for massive illegal deals on stolen petroleum products.

    Suleiman said the command deployed its patrol teams from Delta and Yenagoa to ensure a daily surveillance of the camps and the impounded boats.

    The FOC was accompanied to the creeks by the Deputy Command Operations, CNC, Captain Mustapha Hassan and other senior officers.

    However, Suleiman said destroying the camps in situ, as required by law, would lead to serious environmental pollution

    He said the command was waiting for further directive from the Naval Headquarters in Abuja, adding that the navy embarked on zero-tolerance to crude theft and pipeline vandalism in the region and called on oil thieves to desist from their criminal acts.

  • Rabe takes over from Olukolade as defence spokesperson

    Rabe takes over from Olukolade as defence spokesperson

    The Defence Headquarters yesterday named Rabe Abubakar, a colonel as its new director of information.

    He replaces Brig-Gen. Chris Olukolade, who has attained the retirement age of 35 years in the military.

    Gen. Olukolade, who is proceeding on retirement, remains in active service till September.

    Addressing newsmen shortly after taking over, Col. Abubakar said he was aware and conscious of the security challenges in the country as well as the need for collective efforts to confront it.

    He said:  “There is absolute need for synergy of efforts and collaboration among all stakeholders to re-strategise in the area of information collection, management and determination in counter terrorism and insurgency.”

    The new director of information promised to make himself readily accessible, available, responsive and proactive in dealing with the media and other partners in the course of promoting military/media relationship.

    He promised to maintain excellent and robust relations with the media and rally every organisation to support Armed Forces operations and activities.

    Col Abubakar reiterated his intention to adopt positive measures in his resolve to promote excellent civil/military relations, thereby gaining public understanding and goodwill for troops in the theatre of operations.

    He promised to maintain the professional standard set by his predecessor, and even work hard to improve upon it by tapping from his wealth of experience and knowledge from time to time.

    Col Abubakar was born on April 7, 1965. He hails from Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

    On completion of his secondary education, he proceeded to obtain his Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and was later commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1989.

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  • As Sola Omole takes over at NTA

    SIR:  Somehow I got strangely excited when I learnt Sola has been appointed as NTA’s Director General. For some of us who have been in the business of broadcasting for a while and looking at what Sola is taking on, it really is not an enviable position to find oneself.

    I have had the opportunity to observe my alma mater- NTA from a comfortable distance for quite a while and  I have been very upset at how the whole system has degenerated so badly.

    There has been so much of proliferation of stations, coming with nice sounding titles for many of the guys but the quality of output has been very appalling to say the least.

    It looks like the way we were brought up in the world of broadcasting, with strict adherence to code of practice has no bearing on this new crop of ‘broadcasters’. I have had to bury my head in shame most times as I have faithfully monitored NTA news from my base in the UK for quite some years now. It is too difficult for me to understand how some people have been allowed to cast the national news, which now goes international.

    I recall with great pride, the level of news reporting in my days and it is a shame  that news reporting has virtually been thrown to the dogs now.  Somehow I feel reportorial meetings are no longer held  and  that editorial meetings have been abandoned. Many of the people on air at NTA should not even be reporting for local stations, not to talk of a national outfit like the NTA.

    I am aware that all of that is part of the general decadence in our society where professionalism and fairness are sacrificed on the altar of  political balancing. Granted that we should not disregard the need for support for special needs, there must always be proper training to ensure NTA staff  get properly skilled -from dressing to diction and all that is in between.

    Sola will need to shake off quite a lot for him to get good results in his assignment. I will be praying for him.

    As important and potent as prayers are, faith without works will always amount to nothing. However I have the faith that with Sola’s well endorsed capacity as a news presenter and his consequent managerial skills on an international level, he should be able to work a miracle at NTA.

     

    • Pastor Femi Idowu, (former Bureau Chief, NTA News, Ibadan Bureau),

    United Kingdom

     

  • Drivers’ clash: Committee takes over Ekiti RTEAN

    The National Executive of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has directed the leadership of its Ekiti State chapter, led by Mr. Rotimi Olanbiwonninu, to step aside for a Fact Finding Committee, following a clash between rival factions.

    The committee is led by Mr. Philip Nwaigbo (Imo).

    Members are Alhaji Lahan Yusuf, Secretary (Kwara); Alhaji Ayinde Rumokun (Lagos); Alhaji Rasak Durojaye (Ogun) and Mr. Adewale Ojo (Ondo).

    Nwaigbo told reporters that the national body directed the state exco to step aside for his committee to investigate the cause(s) of the clash.

    He said contrary to speculations, the state exco had not been sacked, adding that the union’s constitution does not allow such.

    Nwaigbo said: “We are in Ekiti on a national assignment. We want to complete it by January 19 and return to the national body with a report on our findings.

    “On December 24, 2013, a letter, titled ‘Vote of No Confidence in the Chief Rotimi Joseph Olanbiwonninu Administration’, was forwarded to the national secretariat.

    “The National Executive Council (NEC), led by Alhaji Shehu Musa Isiwele, the Aigboje 1 of Uromi Kingdom, inaugurated a five-man Fact Finding Committee, headed by me, to investigate the letter.

    “We came on January 6 and informed the house in Ado-Ekiti of our mission. We have met with the rival factions twice and things have been settled. At our first meeting with chapel chairmen, secretaries and treasurers, we told them the Olanbiwonninu administration had been set aside and not dissolved. This is to enable us do our investigations properly.”

    Olanbiwonninu’s whereabouts is unknown.

    A source said: “Olanbiwonninu has been arrested but no one knows by who and where he has been taken to. I heard he was arrested early today (yesterday) by men in mufti. I also learnt that some people went to the Police Headquartres in Ado-Ekiti to know if he was there, but the police denied knowledge of his arrest.

    “That may mean that the Force Headquartres or the State Security Service (SSS) effected the arrest, but I cannot confirm that. It is strange that the arrest is coming now that the situation has been brought under control.”

    Police spokesman Victor Olu-Babayemi said the command had nothing to do with the arrest.

    He said: “I am not aware of it. You are the one telling me now. The police will do its findings and get back to you.”

  • AMCON takes over Aero Airlines

    The Assets Management Company of Nigeria ( AMCON) has taken over the oldest carrier in Nigeria – Aero Airlines.

    AMCON’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Chike Obi yesterday confirmed the take over of the airline.

    Obi said AMCON took over the management of the airline because of its huge debts.

    AMCON now has 60 per cent equity in the airline.

    He said the take over of the airline would not affect its operations.

    It was learnt that AMCON has appointed a new CEO and Chief Financial Officer for the airline. The Nation could not get the names of these officials at press time.

    Aero’s indebtedness to commercial banks is estimated at about N32 billion, which AMCON bought during the banking sector reforms.

    The debt has been converted to equity for the corporation.

    Aero in 2012 said AMCON held controlling stake in it but did not give the specific shareholding of the corporation in the company.

    A source close to AMCON said : “AMCON owns 60 per cent stake in Aero. If somebody wants to buy our 60 per cent stake in Aero tomorrow at a profit, absolutely, we will consider it. We are not emotional about it.

    “I told you we want to make sure that we get our money back and also make sure that whoever runs Aero runs it in a profitable and well-regulated manner. So, once those things are satisfied, we are happy to sell it.”

    Prior to the development, Aero was 100 per cent owned by the Ibru family, which acquired full stake in the airline about three years ago after its Canadian partner, CHC, pulled out.

    The carrier founded in 1959 and based at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos operates both charter and scheduled domestic and regional flights.

    It flies into Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Owerri, Kano , Sokoto and Calabar.

    On the West African Coast, it flies into Accra, Abidjan, Lome, Sao Tome and Banjul. in Gambia.

  • NDLEA takes over Aba drug spot

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has taken over the popular hard drugs retail market, York, in Aba, Abia State.

    The state’s Commander, Mrs Florence Ezeonye, told reporters she would wipe out the hard drugs spot.

    She said: “I am saying that the purpose of this operation today is to wipe out that particular name called York, a retail market for hard drugs. York is now our beat which has never happened in the history of Abia NDLEA Command. York is now a beat for our officers, instead of saying York for hard drug dealers; it is York for NDLEA officers.”

    “The agency is collaborating with other sister security agencies, the state government and some concerned citizens who offered to pay for office spaces in York so that our officers can stay there as a beat.”

    She said with the presence of security operatives at the market, drug dealers would not visit the spot again.

    Mrs Ezeonye said: “I think for now, people should watch out and see how, whether there will be York after today’s operation or business as usual, it is always better seen than heard. I am saying whatever that it is within our power to do, so that we don’t see York in existence again, we will do.”

    The challenge the agency would face, she said, is providing a rehabilitation home for arrested drug addicts. The building of a rehab home for those arrested will go a long way to keep them off drugs, she added.

    “When you go again, you can catch a handful or nobody, or those who are only the users which is of no use to us, the only use they are is that if there is a rehab centre where we can put them through rehabilitation process and then get them back into good use. But where there is no rehabilitation centre, catching them is like a useless venture.”

  • NDLEA takes over notorious drug spot in Aba

    NDLEA takes over notorious drug spot in Aba

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Friday raided and took over the notorious hard drugs retail market, York, in Aba, Abia State, in an effort to curb the activities of hard drug marketers in the state.

    Mrs Florence Ezeonye, the agency’s State Commander, told reporters after the raiding operation that the notorious hard drugs spot had become its newest beat in the state.

    “I am saying that the purpose of this operation today is to wipe out that particular name called York, a retail market for hard drugs.

    “York is now our beat, which has never happened in the history of Abia NDLEA Command. York is now a beat for our officers, Instead of saying York for hard drug dealers, it is York for NDLEA officers,’’ she said.

    According to the NDLEA boss, “the agency was collaborating with other sister security agencies, state government and some concerned citizens who offered to pay for office spaces in York so that our officers can stay there as a beat.”

    She expressed optimism that with the presence of security operatives at the drug market now that the area has been raided, drug dealers would not come near the spot again.

    “I think for now, people should watch out and see whether there will be York after today’s operation or business as usual. It is always better seen than heard.

    “I am saying whatever is within our power to do so that we don’t see York in existence; a retail market for hard drug.

    Ezeonye said the challenge the agency would face was to provide a rehabilitation home for drug addicts who were caught.

    Hinting that building a rehab home for addicts arrested by NDELA officers would go a long way to keep them off drugs.

    “When you go again, you can catch a handful or nobody, or those who are only the users, which is of no use to us.

    “The only way they can be useful is if there is a rehab centre where we can put them and through rehabilitation process get them back into good use.

    “But where there is no rehab centre, catching them is like a useless venture.”

  • JTF takes over motor park

    THE Joint Military Task Force (JTF) has averted a bloodbath in Ughelli Central Motor Park, Ughelli North Local Government of Delta State.

    Otor-Iwhreko youths and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) have been bickering over the control of the motor park. This has led to the deployment of soldiers in the park.

    A source said the NURTW thought it should control the motor park. The Otor-Iwhreko community thinks it should be allowed to control the park, since Otovwodo, Afiesere and Ekiugbo people are in charge of the parks in their areas.

    The source said the NURTW Chairman in the park, Emonena Akpodiete and his Deputy, Felix Olokpa have been quarelling over this.

    The youth chairman of Otor-Iwhreko, Felix Okoro, appealed to the local government to allow “the community to run the motor park as it is done in other motor parks in the local government.”

  • Yero takes over as Kaduna governor

    Yero takes over as Kaduna governor

    IT was un usually busy yesterday at the Kaduna Government House.

    A huge crowd of sympathisers came to pay their last respects to the late Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa and to witness the inauguration of Mukthar Ramalan Yero as the governor.

    At the ceremony were traditional rulers, religious leaders and politicians who watched as Chief Judge, Justice Rahila Cudjoe, at about 1.06 pm, administered the oath on Yero.

    Yero assured the people of his sincere desire to build on the good foundation laid by the late Yakowa who he referred to as “my boss” and asked for prayers.

    Yero said: “It is with heaviness of heart that I make this speech, having just fulfilled a constitutional requirement of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The sad event that befell Kaduna State yesterday, Saturday 15th December 2012, is already public knowledge.

    “Our amiable governor, Sir Patrick Yakowa, has suddenly left us by answering the call of our Creator. Indeed, from Him we all came and to Him we would all, one day, return. In between these periods is the privilege we have to serve humanity.

    “We are living testimonies to the fact that our amiable governor, Sir Patrick Yakowa, who came, did serve humanity, in various and diverse capacities well and suddenly returned to our Creator. His humility, dedication to duty, fairness to all and a sense of humour endeared him to many, near and far, irrespective of religious, tribal or sectional inclinations. No wonder, he was given a pseudo name of Nakowa.

    “The vision of Sir Patrick Yakowa was to secure , unite and develop Kaduna State. He invested so much on this and started reaping the fruits of his labour. He wished to consolidate and advance on the achievements so far made and hence tagged Kaduna State’s 2013 Budget , which he presented to the Honourable House of Assembly on Thursday 13th , December 2012, As the “budget of consolidation and advancement”.

    I sincerely desire to build on the good foundation that my boss has laid. I, therefore, covet your prayers for God’s wisdom, guidance and direction.

    “I take this opportunity to commiserate with the wife and immediate family of His Excellency, Sir Patrick Yakowa, in particular, members of the Government of Kaduna State and the entire citizens of the state over the sad moment we have found ourselves in. May God in His infinite mercy comfort us all. I shall later in the day deliver a state wide broadcast to the citizens of Kaduna State when more details of this sad event are known.”